Ax and tool handle wedge.



G. P. MORRILL.

AX AND TOOL HANDLE WBDGE. nrmoulox num un. 11, nos.

Patented J'uly 20,1909.

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ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE P. MORRILL, OF OANTERBURY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

AX AND Toor. HANDLE WEDGE.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE l?. MORRILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canterbury, in the county of Merrimack and State of New Hampshire, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ax and Tool Handle Wedges, of which the following is a specification accompanied by drawings forming a part of the same, in which" Figure 1 is a side view of one of myimproved wedges. Fig. 2 is an end view. Figs. 3 and e are side views of the inner sides of the two parts of the wedge. Fig. 5 is a top view. Fig. 6 shows the method of insertion of the wedge in an ax helve, and Fig. 7 represents the end of an ax helve with one part of my improved wedge inserted therein. Fig. 8 is an end elevation of one part of my improved wedge. Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the other part of my improved wedge, and Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view of my improved wedge.

Similar figures of reference refer to similar parts in the different views.

The object of my present invention is to facilitate the insertion and removal of the wedge, and this object among' others, I accomplish by forming the wedge in two parts, by a vertical longitudinal division, with. a :flanged head :'Lttached to one of said parts only, and by forming vertical ribs on said part next to and in contact with the headless part in order to reduce the contact of the two parts, and by providing the opposing surfaces of the two parts of the wedge with pockets for the reception of lubricating material.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 denote the two cuneiform parts or halves of my improved wedgc, the part 1. having a flanged top forming a head 3 for the wedge and overlapping the other, or headless part 2. The parts 1 and 2 are placed side by side as rep resented. in Fig. 2 and constitute the body portion of the wedge.

Each of the parts 1 and 2 are provided on their outer surfaces with barbshaped projecting spurs 4 adapted to engage the wood of a handle and prevent the accidental displacement of the wedge. The inner sides of the parts 1 and 2 are provided with shallow recesses forming pockets 5 for the reception of a lubricating material, such as lard, tallow, soap or waX, or similar substances, and on the inner side of the part 1, I also form vertical ribs 6, which contact Speeication of Letters Patent.

Application filed. March 11, 1903.

Patented July 20, 1909.

Serial No. 147,263.

with the lain opposing` surface 7 of the part 2 and ena le one part to slide freely upon the other.

My improved wedge is applied to a handle as follows: The part 2 is entered by its thin edge in an opening or slit in the end of the handle and driven entirely or nearly into the handle. The part 1 is then driven into the handle by the side of part 2, the ribs 6 on the part 1 sliding over the plain surface 7 of the part 2, until the head 3 comes in contact with the thick end of the part 2, when both parts will move together. In order to remove the wedge part 1 is withdrawn and part 2 will then become so loosened as to permit its ready removal.

Vedges provided with a flanged head have been heretofore in use and I am aware that it is not new to form projecting spurs on the outer surface of a wedge; but I believe it to be broadly new to construct the wedge in two parts, and to provide means for the easy insertion and removal of the parts in the handle of an ax or other tool.

The flanged head 3 attached to the part 1 of the wedge is symmetrical in plan view, as represented in Fig. 5, that is, its opposite ends are of the same shape, thereby a lowing the wedge to be inserted in an ax helve with either end of the wedge toward the head of the ax, but the flanged head is unsymmetrieal with the part 1 of the wedge which is formed on the head at one side of its center, so that the head 3 projects in a narrow liange 8 on one side of the wedge 1 and in a wider flange 9 on the opposite side of the wedge 1. When the parts 1 and 2 are used together the wider flange 9 overlaps the headless wedge part 2 and forms a symmetrical wedge. ln case the opening 10 in the ax helve is at one side of the center as frequently occurs, the wedge part 1 may in such cases be used alone as represented in Fig. 7, with the wider flange 9 overlapping the thicker portion 11 of the ax helve thereby bringing the flanged head approximately central with the end of the aX helve and thereby greatly improving the appearance of the completed tool.

l/Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters latent is 1. In an ax or tool wedge, comprising two cuneiform arts placed side by side to form the body o.: the wedge, the combination with one of said parts of vertical ribs arranged to bear against the other of said parts, substantially as described.

2. An aX or tool Wedge consisting of tWo parts touching at the points, means carried y one of said parts in contact with the other of said parts arranged to separate said parts 5 by a gradually increasing distance toward the head of the Wedge, and means for simultaneously driving said'parts.

3. An aX or tool Wedge comprising t'W'o parts touching at the point, one part Wedge i0 shaped and the other provided with vertical ribs, Wedge shaped in cross section and ar ranged to bear against said irst part.

4. An aX or tool Wedge comprising tW parts touching at the point of the Wedge, one of said parts having Wedge shaped projections, arranged to contact with the other part above said point and to hold the parts separated at a gradually increasing distance when thewedge is in position.

Dated this third day of March 1903.

GEORGE P. MORRILL.

Witnesses:

RUFUs B. Fo'WLER, PENELOPE COMBERBACH. 

